Celine Dion’s Paris Comeback: Why Montreal Missed Out & What It Means for Quebec
Gas prices are soaring to $2 a litre, and Quebecers are struggling to make ends meet. Groceries are becoming increasingly expensive. Yet, thousands are willing to spend hundreds, even thousands, on Celine Dion concert tickets, flights, hotel rooms, and Parisian restaurants. Following my last commentary, I received angry emails from readers upset that “our” Celine chose another city – Paris – for her grand return.
But really, can Montreal, with its notorious potholes, compete with Paris and the Eiffel Tower? When it came time to choose the city for Celine’s comeback, her team likely spent a mere three and a quarter seconds considering Montreal. And not just because we lack a venue capable of hosting 40,000 people nightly, like the Paris La Défense Arena.
A City Transformed
We’re not in 1967 with Expo or 1976 with the Olympics. Montreal in 2026 isn’t a city that justifies global travel and thousands of dollars in expenses. When comparing Montreal and Paris as dream tourist destinations, “there’s no comparison,” as the French say. According to Le Figaro, the economic impact of Celine’s performances is estimated to exceed one billion euros.
Why? Because Paris is the most visited city in the world. Montreal received 11.9 million visitors in 2025. Paris? A staggering 50 million.
When you have a fixed “entertainment/vacation” budget, you plan accordingly, considering what you’ll do before and after the show that’s breaking the bank. In Paris, you’re in the world’s most beautiful city, with world-class museums and chic shopping. In Montreal, if you manage to reach downtown without your taxi’s transmission failing due to potholes, you wander streets overflowing with garbage.
Beyond the Museums
Once you’ve visited the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the McCord Museum, dined at the city’s three Michelin-starred restaurants, what then? Do you shop at Royalmount at the corner of 15 and 40? Do you flip a coin to see if the REM will be operational?
I don’t understand why some Celine Dion fans demand she make her return “here.” We’re peculiar in Quebec. We dream big, celebrate when “one of our own” succeeds internationally, but remain stuck in a “small-town” mentality. We want Celine to succeed on the world’s biggest stages, but not too well. We want her to be ambitious, but remain “the girl next door.” To shine in the City of Lights, but remain in the shadow of Mount Royal. To drink champagne, but continue to enjoy maple taffy on the snow.
A Call for Celebration
Instead of complaining and being angry, we should applaud her success. Celine Dion’s choice isn’t a rejection of Quebec; it’s a recognition of a global stage and the economic realities that come with it. It’s time to celebrate her ambition and embrace her continued success, even if it’s not always “icitte.”
Listen to this podcast video from Richard Martineau’s show, broadcast on QUB and 99.5 FM Montreal: [Link to Podcast – Replace with actual link]
